God Sees Who You’re Meant to Be

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and thought, I’m not who I’m supposed to be yet - you’re not alone.

Most of us walk through life keenly aware of our flaws, failures, and shortcomings. We see our past. We see our weaknesses. We see what’s missing.

But God? He sees more.

He sees who you’re becoming.

He sees who you’re meant to be.

God Doesn’t Look the Way We Do

When the prophet Samuel went to anoint the next king of Israel, even he almost missed it.

Eliab, the oldest and strongest of Jesse’s sons, looked the part. But God said no. One by one, each impressive son passed by. None were chosen. Until David, the overlooked shepherd boy, was brought in from the field.

Then the Lord said:

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

God saw something in David no one else could see. He saw a king in a shepherd. A leader in the youngest brother. A man after His own heart in the boy who no one invited to the lineup.

That’s how God sees you, too.

Simon vs. Peter: Becoming Who God Meant You to Be

In John 1:42, when Jesus first met Simon, He immediately renamed him:

“You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). John 1:42 (ESV)

Peter means “rock.”

Jesus didn’t call him that because he was already steady. Far from it. Peter would speak too quickly, stumble in fear, deny Jesus outright. But Jesus called out who Peter would become.

That’s the grace of God: He sees the finished product while we’re still a work in progress.

Stop Defining Yourself by Who You Were

So many of us get stuck seeing ourselves through the lens of past failures:

• The person who messed up.

• The one who can’t get it right.

• The one who struggles with doubt, addiction, fear, or inconsistency.

But God doesn’t define you by your worst moments or even your current ones. He sees your potential. He sees your future. He sees the Spirit working in you, transforming you into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

You may feel like a Saul. But God might be preparing you to become a Paul.

Walking with Others While They’re Becoming Who They Were Meant To Be

It’s one thing to believe God sees you as a work in progress. It’s another to extend that same grace to others.

Sometimes we expect instant transformation from people: a new Christian should “get it” quickly. A friend who’s apologized should never mess up again. A church member who struggles should grow at our pace, not theirs.

But the same God who’s patient with your process is patient with theirs, too.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

God is still working on them. They’re in the middle. Just like you.

Let’s not just believe in our own journey of transformation. Let’s be the kind of people who walk patiently with others through theirs. Let’s be patient with those who stumble. Let’s believe that even the most broken story can be rewritten. And let’s never forget: every Paul once looked like a Saul.

So Let Me Ask You…

• Are you defining yourself by your past more than by God’s promises?

• Have you written someone else off based on what you see now, instead of who they could become?

• Are you stuck in shame, assuming God only sees your flaws?

• Have you forgotten that your current struggle doesn’t disqualify you - it may be part of how God is shaping you?

• What would change if you believed God sees who you’re meant to be?

The God Who Sees Who You’re Meant to Be

God doesn’t just see you as you are. He sees you becoming something better.

He sees the softening of your heart. The refining of your character. The quiet moments when you choose obedience over convenience. The little acts of faith that no one else notices.

And He’s not giving up on you.

So don’t give up on yourself. Or others.

If you’re still in the field like David, or fumbling like Simon, or even failing like Saul, you’re not finished yet. God is still shaping, still calling, still working.

Because He sees not only who you are.

He sees who you’re meant to be.

Until the journey is complete,

Jonathan Pilgrim

P.S. This week, try seeing others (or yourself) the way God sees them - not just for who they are now, but for who they could become in Christ.